A 25-year-old woman from Louisiana has been charged with the murder of her 4-year-old son and leaving her 1-year-old son in a ditch. Aaliyah Jack, arrested on July 8, claimed she committed the crime while under the influence of drugs.

Incident Overview

On Monday, July 8, deputies from the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a call regarding a child’s body found at the Vinton Welcome Center. The Marine Division recovered the body of Legend Dary Jack, a 4-year-old boy. Witnesses had last seen Legend with his mother, Aaliyah Jack, and his younger brother on Saturday, July 6.

Initial Charges and Search for Missing Child

Following the discovery, a judge issued a warrant for Aaliyah Jack’s arrest on charges of failing to report a missing child. Authorities located and arrested her in Meridian, Mississippi. However, her 1-year-old son was not with her at the time of her arrest.

Efforts to locate the missing child intensified. On the morning of July 9, the sheriff’s office received a report from a driver who had spotted a baby in a ditch along I-10. Deputies quickly responded and identified the child as Jack’s 1-year-old son. Sheriff Stitch Guillory described the infant as a “miracle baby,” having survived two days exposed to the elements, including Tropical Storm Beryl, which was affecting Texas and Louisiana at the time. The baby was reportedly crawling towards the highway when a truck driver saw him and called 911.

Escalation of Charges

The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office announced on July 11 that Aaliyah Jack’s charges were upgraded. She now faces two counts of failure to report a missing child, cruelty to a juvenile, and second-degree murder.

After being extradited back to Louisiana, Jack was booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center on July 20. When questioned by a reporter about the events leading to the death of her older son and the abandonment of her younger son, Jack confessed, stating, “I had did that to them.” When asked why she left her son on the freeway, she responded, “I’m not sure. I was under the influence of drugs.”

Legal Proceedings and Current Status

Jack’s bond has been set at $9.1 million. Her 1-year-old son has been placed in state custody. The case continues to unfold, and the community is grappling with the tragic loss of one child and the miraculous survival of another.